I love seeing authors succeed in other genres. Nina LaCour has written an adorable and fun middle grade book. It was fun reading it with the kids I nanny. We all laughed together and enjoyed the characters in the apartment house. We all read it together and had a good time, but I think this is also a book that an older middle grade kid can enjoy reading on their own!

This is a promising start to a series with a strong world and characters that is delightfully whimsical. Unlike a lot of early readers, this book contains three short stories set in the same world with the same characters, instead of one longer story. Each one was appropriately paced, and the recurring characters do form some narrative as we see new neighbors move in and a payoff to the reclusive neighbors at the end. I am interested to see how this series develops and I am glad we have an early reader series with two moms!

Thank you to @netgalley and @chroniclebooks for the eARC of The Apartment House on Poppy Hill by Nina LaCour, Sònia Albert (Illustrator).

This work of middle grade fiction was absolutely delightful in every way. It gave me the same warm and cozy feelings as when I read the Penny books by Kevin Henkes and The Vanderbeekers by Karian Yan Glaser. Age-wise, I would say this falls between those two as it is told from the perspective of 9 year old Ella.

This is a lovely slice of life at 1106 Wildflower Place, an apartment house in San Francisco. Through Ella, readers learn and interact with families in the different units. Each family is unique in its own way and the book reads almost as interconnected short stories. And let’s not forget to mention the lovely illustrations that bring the story to life. I hope for future stories featuring Ella.

I had to DNF this book, however, it is not the book's fault. This really reads more like children's fiction than a middle-grade story. I haven't gotten more than 18%, so maybe later in the book it gets a little more mature and would fin into the middle-grade category, but for now it just reads a little too young for me. The main character, Ella, is annoying, so it is difficult as someone over the intended age range to be interested in the book. Not terrible by any means, as Nina LaCour has written some enjoyable YA stories, but the middle-grade is not working for me. I DNF'd to avoid giving this a two or one star rating. No spite reading here!

Coming off of Halloween and all my spooky reads, this middle grade book was at times charming and cute. I've read a lot of Nina LaCour's books and I wanted to get an idea of whether or not this would be a good book to gift the kids in my family.

💚 What I liked:
I loved the diversity of this book. There are two same sex couples, including our lead character, Ella's mothers. Nine-year-old Ella has a feisty, strong personality and has appointed herself as the designated tour guide of her apartment building. When a new couple move in, she sets out to show them everything there is to know about the quirks of the building and its eccentric residents.

This story is told in three acts and I enjoyed the final act the most when Ella met her mysterious neighbors upstairs and finds out that they have a lot of knowledge about the building as well.


❤️ Could have been better:
Honestly, from an adult perspective Ella would be a nightmare neighbor. I found her character to be a bit bratty. I mean, stopping on the floor above your downstairs neighbors' ceiling because you feel like they didn't give you enough attention as they were lugging stuff into their house? I think it's good that Ella learned to be slightly less judgmental by the end, but I still probably wouldn't want an 8 or 9 year old in my family to read the book and try to emulate Ella's behavior at all. 😂


Thank you to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for offering an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was just pure magical, unadulterated, marvelous and wondrous joy. I thoroughly loved every second of it, and I hope this is the beginning to a delightful new series.

Ella lives in an apartment building with her moms, and has a lovely relationship with all of her neighbors. Divided into three parts, we get to know the people who live there through Ella's eyes. She sees the world in such an authentic way that I think kids will really relate to her. The illustrations are gorgeous, and while there isn't much plot, the slice of life given here feels genuine. I was smiling the whole time I read it.

I would like to rent an apartment on Poppy Hill, please.

Coming at you post-Halloween with a fun middle grade book! I loved The Apartment House on Poppy Hill. Ella is spunky and curious, a delightful young protagonist to follow. Since I live in the suburbs, the apartment house setting was interesting for me. It was neat to learn about the neighbors in each apartment and how the nosiness of Ella endears her to everyone in the building. I saw a comparison of this book & main character to the Ivy + Bean series and I agree!

Thank you to @lyon.brit.andthebookshelf for the recommendation! The Apartment House on Poppy Hill is out Tuesday, November 7th! Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle for my e-arc!

Thank you to Chronicle Books and Netgalley for providing me with a digital ARC of this book!

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill is an absolutely charming and sweet chapter book focused on following the life of nine-year-old Ella, who lives in Apartment E with her mothers, Abby and Livy. Whether it be introducing the new neighbors to the tricks they need to know of their new home, juggling chores and teatime with her neighbor, or being invited to Apartment A to finally meet the elusive Robinsons, Ella shows her deep love and care for her community.

The writing style is easy to read and great small comedic beats, along with some genuinely heartfelt ideas about time and community. Ella’s personality and interactions with her neighbors reminds me of Eloise from Eloise at the Plaza, which brought a fun energy to this book and gave me a sense of nostalgia. I also adored all the illustrations by Sònia Albert.

This book is brimming with aspects that I love to see in children’s fiction, including intergenerational friendships and inclusive depictions of different couples and family dynamics. I’m excited to read more of Ella’s daily adventures in the apartment house on Poppy Hill as this series continues!

I absolutely adored this. There was such a hit of nostalgia with the character of Ella, reminiscent of many of the young chapter book leads I had growing up, but it still felt fresh.
It was so nice to see all of the adults in Ella's life take her theatrics seriously, and I loved seeing the way she spoke as a reflection of her mostly adult surroundings.

Ella is a spunky nine year old who lives in a quirky apartment building filled with diverse personalities. This is actually three small chapter books in one, so you get 3 mini stories about Poppy Hill. I'm most fascinated by seeing the work-in-progress illustrations within this ARC.

I love love loved this book! The book came in sections. I read the first 2, and then waited a while to read the 3rd section because I didn’t want the book to end. The cover and title are delightful. The story seems a bit retro, but it is pure, happy and good. It is about a girl that lives in an apartment on Poppy Hill. I am not going to say much more than that. It is an easy read, and one that will be perfect for my students or something I would pull out and read again just for something happy.

A heart warming tale of Ella who lives on 1106 Wildflower Lane. Adorable for middle-grade. Set in two parts with short chapters. You’ll love getting to know the tenants and follow around Ella as she discovers … how do the Robinsons do it? I loved the ending!

Well! This was a fun, sweet book. I would have loved this book as a kid and I enjoyed it now.

Ella is precocious, there is no doubt about that, and in the opening chapter or two I honestly found her a bit bratty. But, as the book unfolded, her curiosity, joie de vivre and helpful, kind spirit shone through.

It was fun to get to know the other residents on Poppy Hill- some quite quirky!- and I loved the illustrations.

Overall this book was just a pleasure to read and took me back to my younger self.

Thank you to Netgalley and Chronicle Books for an ARC of The Apartment House on Poppy Hill in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

oh my goodness!! this book was such a pure delight!! i really truly enjoyed this one so much! thank you so much to netgalley for letting me read this one early! please pick it up when it comes out!!!

Immediately preordering a physical copy!

First off I love Nina Lacour so when I saw she was publishing an early reader chapter book I freaked out. Ella is the young protagonist my youthful and adult self adore. She’s lively, adventurous and welcoming. All of the tenants at the apartment house are love able and diverse! I would even say the apartment house on poppy hill is a bit of a character in it self! I could get lost roaming the halls and visiting the residents right alongside Ella!

The illustrations are absolutely beautiful and I can’t wait to take a peek at them in physical form! I already know this series is going to be a favorite in my house!

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy!

Nine-year old Ella is delighted! New neighbors are moving to her building, and surely they'll want her help, right? No one knows this place like she does!

This was a charming chapter book. I enjoyed everything about it. Ella was such a cute and lovable main character and I adored following her throughout the story. I loved getting to know her neighbors too and seeing her relationships with her mothers.
Simply put, it was a short and perfect story. I had a great time from beginning to end.

Apartment House on Poppy Hill was a cute, fun read geared towards younger chapter readers. It includes some lovely illustrations that really support the story and a fun cast of characters. Ella, our main character, is 9 years old and lives in an apartment building full of big personalities with a focus on community. As a character, Ella has a very strong personality and a desire to share everything with everyone in the building. The character can come on strong and is one of "those kids" that not everyone will love - but who exist and are out there with huge hearts. I did think that the book was a little light on details but the story flowed and the sense of community was strong. I loved all the different people that lived in the building and how to Ella, they were her extended family network and she loved them all for who they are. Overall, this was a heartwarming, quick read!

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill
By Nina LaCour
November 7, 2023

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill is a middle grade novel about nine year old Ella, a little girl who lives in an apartment building in San Francisco. With quirky characters each with their own personalities.

This is such a pleasant mg read. I enjoyed the characters, the story and the writing, it was so easy to read.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

My fourth grade daughter enjoyed this book and would likely read the next one in the series. As a nine-year-old girl, she could relate the main character (Ella) of the same age. Although it was a cute story and I appreciated that it incorporated diverse family units, we dinged a star because the plot was a bit thin. The book mainly focuses on Ella's daily interactions with other residents of the apartment building. My daughter was hoping for more events or details (e.g., adventures, mysteries, getting in trouble, comedic situations) to keep her engaged.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher, Chronicle Books, for an advanced reader copy of this novel to review!

I really enjoyed the community within this book. I liked the setting and the quirks of living there. But I didn't love Ellie.
A cute book about neighbors and community.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.